Oshiomhole Challenges Abati to Physical Street Brawl over Comment on Live Programme

Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has lashed out at Arise TV anchor, Dr. Reuben Abati, over comments made during a recent broadcast which he considered demeaning and challenged his to a street confrontation.

Trouble started when Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State and president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, took umbrage with Abati’s suggestion that he wielded significant influence within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Abati, a former spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan, had questioned former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, about his decision to join the APC, implying that Oshiomhole had a role in forgiving Okowa’s past transgressions.

Oshiomhole found this implication to be preposterous, stating that his position in the legislature did not grant him the authority to prosecute or pardon individuals.

Oshiomhole also referenced Abati’s past, including his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after serving as Jonathan’s spokesperson.

He questioned whether he had been responsible for securing Abati’s release, and wondered if this was the reason for Abati’s apparent vendetta against him.

The senator further criticized Abati for failing to acknowledge his contributions to the labor movement, particularly on May Day. Oshiomhole claimed that Abati had previously praised him as a champion of workers’ rights, but now seemed determined to undermine his reputation.

In a fiery conclusion, Oshiomhole challenged Abati to a physical confrontation, suggesting that he was motivated by a personal grudge stemming from his failed bid to become deputy governor of Ogun State.

The senator’s outburst has sparked a heated debate about the role of media personalities in Nigerian politics, and the limits of free speech in the country.